Delikti

Delikti is a term used in some legal traditions to refer to civil wrongs—acts or omissions that infringe a legally protected interest and create civil liability. Derived from Latin delictum, the term is common in continental civil-law jurisdictions and in translations of those systems. In English-language practice, delict or tort is more common, but delikti appears in scholarly works and in some language communities to denote non-criminal wrongful acts.

A delikti typically require four elements, though wording varies by jurisdiction: unlawfulness (a breach of a legal duty or standard of care), fault (intent or negligence), causation (a link between the act and the harm), and damages (loss or harm suffered by the victim). Some systems add requirements such as a duty of care or foreseeability.

Delikti are distinct from crimes, which are violations of criminal law pursued by the state, and from contract breaches, which arise from failure to perform contractual duties. Many jurisdictions also recognize quasi-delicts or extracontractual liability, which resemble delikti but may be governed by different rules.

Remedies for delikti generally include monetary damages intended to compensate the victim, and may include injunctions, restitution, or other equitable remedies. In some jurisdictions, punitive damages or system-specific remedies may be available.

Common examples include negligence causing injury, defamation, nuisance, and trespass to land or chattels. Strict-liability delikti, where fault need not be proven, appear in particular contexts such as certain hazardous activities.

Historically rooted in Roman law and civil-code tradition, the delikt concept helps structure civil liability by focusing on wrongful acts rather than state punishment. In English-language law, tort theory serves a similar function, though doctrinal terms differ.